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Amnesty International concerned about police involvement in missing Dominican
posted on: Sep 29 2010 8:55 by Royston. Viewed 676 times.
Amnesty International has called on the Dominican authorities to fully investigate the disappearance last year of Juan Almonte Herrera, a Dominican who was reportedly abducted by members of the police.
In its statement, Amnesty also points out that it is concerned "about the frequent allegations of human rights violations by police and security forces in the Dominican Republic."
On the case of Almonte, the organization reports that on September 28, 2009 he was kidnapped on his way to the office in Santo Domingo where he worked as an accountant. The kidnappers were alleged to belong to a Police anti-kidnapping unit.
A year after Herrera's disappearance, the family and lawyers of the victim, who was a member of the Dominican Committee of human rights, are still awaiting an official report on the status of the investigation, while they fear he may have been killed , says AI.
"The Dominican authorities must investigate his disappearance or disclose the whereabouts of Juan, if he has been arrested by the security forces. It is very worrying that a year after his disappearance, it seems that nothing is being done to discover his fate" says Chiara Ligouri, a researcher at Amnesty International for the Caribbean.
The police said Hewrrera was being investigated for allegedly kidnapping a 19 year old in the town of Nagua, and described him as a fugitive.
In late October 2009, two charred bodies were found in a car in Santo Domingo, one of whom was identified as that of Almonte by his sister, said Amnesty.
The family believe that the DNA tests carried out later, which proved negative, had been manipulated.
After demanding an investigation, family members and lawyers for the missing man reported now that they are under surveillance by the police and have received threats against talking about the case.
"The Dominican authorities must provide adequate protection to families and lawyers of Juan Almonte," says Chiara Ligouri.
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